


Time Awaits

by emmerrr



Series: To live will be an awfully big adventure [14]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-13
Updated: 2017-02-13
Packaged: 2018-09-24 04:15:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9700613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emmerrr/pseuds/emmerrr
Summary: Andrew plays his last match at Palmetto State University.





	

The sound of the buzzer reverberated through the court signaling the end of the championship match on a win for Palmetto State, and Andrew leaned heavily on his racquet from his spot in the goal. It was fair to say that he was exhausted; it had been a while since he had played a full game, and seeing as it was his last as a Fox and his last with Neil — at least for now — Andrew had decided to put the effort in. Neil had really, really wanted a win.

Andrew watched his teammates celebrate at the halfway line. Aaron actually clacked sticks with Neil and smiled, a gesture of uncharacteristic camaraderie — Andrew supposed their imminent graduation was what had Aaron in such a good mood, and finishing with a victory was an added bonus. Nicky launched himself at Neil in what looked like a bone-crushing hug, and when he pulled away Neil was laughing. He caught Andrew’s eye. Even after five years as a Fox, Andrew still never made the effort to join in the celebrations, but it didn’t matter anyway because Neil always redirected the team over to Andrew. It had become a Fox custom.

He watched them approach, and when Neil got close enough, he hooked his fingers in the netting of Andrew’s racquet and lightly bumped his helmet against Andrew’s own as the rest of the Foxes crowded around. Neil’s stupid eyes were shining with sentiment, but his smirk remained.

“Not bad,” he said.

Andrew looked up at the scoreboard where it read 6-2. The game had felt a lot more evenly matched than the score suggested, but Andrew had actually been trying, and the added urgency that Nicky and Aaron had played with as it was also their last game had meant the Foxes defense line had been near impenetrable. Andrew looked back to Neil and raised his eyebrows.

Neil laughed. “Like I said. Not bad.”

Nicky had his arm around Aaron, and was beaming at Andrew. “We did it!” he said excitedly as the rest of the team chattered around them. Andrew didn’t respond, not that he thought Nicky expected him to, but he did offer Nicky a half-nod for him to interpret however he wished.

Andrew had never been able to relate to the excitement the rest of them felt over winning or the devastation they felt over a heavy loss, but he could now admit to a certain amount of satisfaction from beating a troublesome opponent, even if it was to no one other than himself. And the Trojans had certainly been troublesome; Andrew deemed them worthy, he supposed.

He trailed Neil back to the locker-room after they had shaken hands with the runners-up, and he sat down heavily on the bench. He finally took his helmet off and mussed a hand through his hair, where it was sweat slicked to his head. He felt eyes on him and looked to his left.

“What?” he asked Neil, who was staring. As usual.

“You’re very sweaty,” Neil said.

“It’s hot, and I’ve just played a full game in an NCAA championship match. So yes, Neil. I’m very sweaty.”

Andrew wordlessly took the bottle of water Abby passed him, ignoring her quiet but proud, “Congratulations, guys.”

Neil thanked her with a smile and then turned back to Andrew. “No, I know. I just meant…” he broke off with a sigh. “Thank you. For giving me your best tonight.”

“What makes you think that was my best?”

“Even if it wasn’t, it was more than enough.”

Andrew’s eyes flickered from Neil to the lockers opposite. “I didn’t do it it for you.”

He could practically _feel_ Neil’s shit-eating grin. “Liar.”

Andrew was saved the trouble of murdering Neil by Wymack’s arrival in the locker room. “Josten, Hemmick, press are waiting. Let’s go.”

“Coming, Coach,” Neil said, and he actually had the audacity to wink at Andrew before following Nicky and Wymack out to face the press. Hopefully he’d manage not to antagonize anyone for once in his life. Andrew shook his head and hit the showers.

* * *

 

Later on back at Fox Tower, Andrew disappeared from the celebratory party in the basement after sticking around for slightly longer than he usually did, and headed for the roof. He still didn’t particularly like to socialise with his teammates, the baby Foxes in particular. He just didn’t care to know them, with the notable exception of Robin. Neil was fine with most of them — Jack and Sheena aside — but Andrew knew that he didn’t love them like he loved his original Foxes; the ones who had helped make Neil a real person, and given him a family and a home and something to live and fight for. Nevertheless, Neil was captain, and as such felt it was his captainly duty to celebrate with the team.

Andrew had no such concerns.

He knew it wouldn’t be long until Neil came to find him, and he sat cross-legged near the edge while he waited, a cigarette in one hand and his other loosely cradling his ankles. He thought about the fact that he’d now officially played his final match at Palmetto State and would soon be graduating and going pro, and he tried to figure out exactly how he felt about that. Going pro was necessary because that’s what Neil would be doing in a year’s time when it was his turn to graduate, and as Andrew had already accepted Neil as something he wasn’t prepared to give up, it meant _he_ had to choose Exy as well. And that was okay, Andrew was good at Exy without really trying and brilliant when he put his mind to it, and playing pro would probably be more of a challenge anyway. Plus, he’d probably get to play against Kevin’s team at some point and that had the potential to be interesting, if only for a moment. So Andrew wasn’t particularly looking forward to leaving, but he wasn’t dreading it either, and he could live with that.

The issue was Neil. Andrew had now watched Neil have to say goodbye first to Dan, Allison and Renee, then Matt and Kevin last year, and now he was losing the last remaining members of his first line-up as a Fox. Andrew was by no means sentimental, but even he had found trying to get used to Kevin’s absence a little disconcerting. And now Neil was going to be the only one left.

Neil would still have Robin, and he’d have Wymack and Abby, and even Bee if he ever got his head out of his ass and went to see her properly, but Andrew knew that for Neil it just wouldn’t be the same. He hated the idea of Neil being lonely.

The door to the roof jiggled open behind him, and Andrew didn’t bother turning around; he knew who it would be. Neil pilfered the cigarette out of Andrew’s unresisting fingers and sat so they were back to back. He dropped his head back onto Andrew’s shoulder and let out a shaky sigh. Andrew suspected that he had had a little to drink.

“I can’t believe it’s already over,” Neil said after a while.

Andrew lit himself a new cigarette, letting Neil keep his stolen one. “It’s not over. You’ve got another year to go.”

“You know what I mean.”

Andrew did know. Of course he knew; it was all he could think about. “You’ll be alright,” he said at last.

“I know that. It’s just gonna suck, that’s all.” Neil’s voice sounded a little strained, like he had a lump in his throat, and Andrew tilted his head slightly to the side to lean against Neil’s.

It was a while before Neil spoke again, but when he did his voice was clearer. “I never thought I’d make it this far,” he said.

Andrew lifted a hand up to find the burn scar on Neil’s face. “You almost didn’t,” he murmured, pressing a brief kiss into Neil’s hair. That still made Andrew angry to think about. He wondered if he still would have gone pro if Neil had died that night. Probably not.

“But I did,” Neil said. He put out his cigarette and slowly turned around, wrapping his arms around Andrew’s waist and burying his face in Andrew’s shoulder. “I’m not going anywhere.” It sounded muffled against Andrew’s hoodie, but Neil was warm, and Andrew shifted backwards so that Neil would tighten his hold without Andrew having to ask. He did. They were good at wordless now. A verbal yes or no had become less frequent as their relationship had developed. They had unfailing trust in one another, something Andrew had never thought he’d have — or even want —with anyone. Trust Neil to get under Andrew’s skin in every way imaginable.

They sat like that for a while, both taking silent comfort from one another. Andrew was painfully aware that their nighttime rooftop rendezvous were numbered, but it was okay. They’d come up with a new routine.

“Are you gonna come and visit me?” Neil asked eventually.

“Don’t ask stupid questions.”

Andrew felt Neil smile against his neck.

"I'll take that as a yes."


End file.
